LANSING, Mich. – Today Senate Democrats opposed a surprise political maneuver by Senate Republicans on the so-called "physician's tax" because the Majority allowed no serious debate or amendments to improve the legislation. 

“This is exactly the kind of gamesmanship that has created our budget mess and rightly ticked off the public, and we're not going to be a part of it anymore,” said Senate Democratic Leader Mike Prusi (D-Ishpeming). “Our caucus has consistently offered solutions that could be worked out through honest debate and compromise, but the Senate Republicans seem completely unwilling and unable to meet anyone halfway.”

Without any prior announcement or discussion, the Republican Majority called for a vote on an expansion of the Quality Assessment Assurance Program to physicians as it was approved in the House. Democrats pointed out that following a recent extensive hearing on the subject, a number of suggestions for improvement were discussed, yet the Majority allowed for debate or action on none of them today.

“All this does is further erode the public confidence in our ability to work together or get anything done, and that's a shame,” said Senator Mickey Switalski (D-Roseville) a sponsor of similar legislation who had been involved in negotiations and personally offered numerous times to work on a compromise. “This kind of maneuvering just sets us further back in the process and they know it.”

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